1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a telephone in-use indicator system and, more particularly, to an in-use indicator for providing visual notice to others that a cellular telephone device is in use, for e:ample in a vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known that cellular telephones are becoming increasingly popular in the United States and abroad. In particular, the number of such telephone users has steadily increased over the past decade or so, and in particular, at a 40% to 50% annular rate over the last several years. Currently, there are over 50 million cellular, including digital PCS, telephone users in the United States, with another 50 million additional users expected by the year 2000. While many prospective owners cite security as the most compelling reason for purchasing a cellular telephone, it has been observed that, increasingly, such telephones are used for social and/or business related functions.
The cellular telephone has undoubtedly proven itself to be a very useful communications tool. However, because many cellular telephone users engage in conversation or answer and place calls while driving a vehicle, cellular telephone usage by drivers of automobiles while driving has also proven to be a dangerous distraction for drivers. Several possible reasons exist which may help explain the reason for such distractions. In particular, a driver, upon receiving notification of a call in the automobile, may oftentimes have to take his eyes of the road to pick up the phone, press a generally small sized button to answer the call, and then engage in conversation Furthermore, the driver may sometimes also have to deal with the distraction of fumbling with the radio controls, either before or after picking up the telephone call, to silence the radio. In addition, the ringing of the phone in itself may momentarily startle a driver.
As such, it has been shown that cellular telephone usage by the driver of an automobile results in a significantly higher chance of that driver causing and/or being involved in a car accident such as a collision. Automobile collisions are a leading cause of death in North America and account for about one fatality every ten minutes. The risk of a collision when using a cellular telephone, as noted by The New England Journal of Medicine, is four to five times greater than when a cellular telephone is not in use while driving, which is roughly equivalent to a person driving while intoxicated. Furthermore, the risk factor did not differ between hand-held and hands-free telephones.
Unfortunately, one of the recurring tragedies in such collisions is that the vehicle being driven by the cellular telephone operator may cause one or more other unsuspecting vehicles to also be involved in the collision. As such, not only may the driver operating the cellular telephone be injured or killed, but drivers and passengers of the other vehicles also involved in the collision may likewise be affected.
Therefore, there is a need for a telephone in-use system that not only is able to reduce the level of distraction for the vehicle driver, thereby promoting responsible driving by cellular telephone users, but is also able to provide a measure of safety to other drivers on the road.